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T-Day+1: Tariffs…And So It Begins…

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**NEW Update 7/11/25** – See Updated Tariff Programs from Around the Industry

**7/11/25 – New program adjustments. See below** The reality is beginning to set in. Most industry manufacturers have updated their pricing with tariff-driven price increases…some as high as 50+%. Two weeks ago, on a day I call T-Day (for tariff day), the Trump Administration announced a new “reciprocal” tariff program on America’s top 100 trading partners that is bigger and more impactful than anything he ever toyed with during his first term. Even though most of that plan has been put on a 90-day hold (except for China), anywhere from 10%…to 10%+20% is now implemented. The impact of that is starting to hit economies around the world.

And the reality and impact of that is also beginning to hit individual businesses and consumers.

See more on the inflection point of the tariff program now beginning…

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T-Day Has Arrived: US Imposes Escalated Tariffs on Trade Partners

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President Trump announcing escalated tariffs

Now What?

On Wednesday, the Trump Administration unveiled its long-anticipated tariff policy, the details of which showed tariff rates turned out to be much higher than expected and a rollout plan that turned out to be much faster than expected. Overseas markets dropped as investors feared the onset of a trade war was brewing. Thursday morning, U.S. markets followed the rest of the world and saw stock values collapse in the wake of the announcement.

What happened? And…now what??

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ListenUp President Appointed to the Colorado State Electrical Board

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ListenUp President Benjamin Larkin

Hey Colorado integrators, you’ve got a guy on the inside now! Benjamin Larkin, President of renowned Denver AV retail and custom integration company ListenUp, has been appointed to the Colorado State Electrical Board. Appointed by Colorado Governor Jared Polis, Larkin brings an integrator’s perspective into a government regulatory body.

Read more on Larkin’s appointment to the Colorado State Electrical Board

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Expo Shocker! Hundreds of Members Show Up for CEDIA Advocacy Town Hall

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CEDIA Advocacy Town Hall
[Click to enlarge]

Spotlight on CEDIA Expo

Perhaps one of the more surprising events at CEDIA Expo 2022 – at least in my mind – was an event that took place early in the morning on the first official day of the show floor opening. This event, the CEDIA Advocacy Town Hall in which the organization intended to discuss the extent of their political advocacy conducted on behalf of the membership, seemed to me like something unlikely to draw much attention…or attendance.

Boy…was I wrong!

Learn more about the CEDIA Advocacy Town Hall

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Massive Population Shifts Coming; India to Overtake China in 2023

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This month, the United Nations released its report on the latest global population trends and it delivered quite a few surprises…and even a bit of a shock. The data shows that major population shifts are coming…and coming soon. First, in a bit of a surprise, we learn that by November 15 of this year, the world population will total 8 billion people. The U.N. says that, in the world we hope to build, that population number will represent “8 billion opportunities to lead dignified and fulfilled lives.” But it also represents 8 billion reasons to remember “our shared responsibility to care for our planet.”

And, in a bit of a shock, we learn that by next year, China will be replaced as the most populous nation in the world by India, whose rate of population growth supersedes China’s. Surprised?

Learn more on the population shifts around the globe

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Chip Makers Threaten to Scale Back U.S. Plans Citing Inaction by Congress

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President Biden meets with industry leaders and chip makers
President Biden meets with business leaders to discuss building semiconductor production in the U.S. [Photo: AP]

Major American and Asian chip makers warned this week that they may scale back their planned investments in building U.S. semiconductor production if Congress doesn’t finally move forward and pass the CHIPS Act. The CHIPS Act is legislation the administration seeks to build up a more robust U.S.-based semiconductor supply chain.

Learn more on chip makers pulling back on U.S. fab projects

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Sputtering Supply Chain Takes Another Hit as China Forces Factories to Close

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Shutdowns in Shenzhen China threaten the supply chain
Shuttered buildings in Shenzhen, China on Monday [Photo: Chinatopix, via Associated Press]

Here we go again! Yet another major blow has been dealt to the supply chain, this time from another round of COVID-19 hitting China, forcing lockdowns in many critical areas of the country – including Shenzhen. You may or may not know that much of the electronics goods manufactured in China come out of the Shenzhen region – so we all have a direct connection to the impact of this development. Add to this, new reports of container costs rising again and transportation disruptions from the Russian invasion of Ukraine. What’s next?

See more on the latest supply chain disruption

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Tech Takes a Stand on the Russian Invasion of Ukraine

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Russian invasion - A Mariupol, Ukraine apartment building damaged by artillery shelling
An apartment building in Mariupol, Ukraine damaged by artillery shelling [Photo: Evgeniy Maloletka/Associated Press]

Certainly, the biggest news story of the year has been the dramatic and horrific invasion of Ukraine by Russia. This invasion was undertaken for illegitimate reasons and has resulted in an almost unbearable amount of pain for Ukrainian soldiers and citizens. The dismal news coming out of the region has forced countries, alliances, and even businesses to reassess their relationship with the clear aggressor in the war, Russia. Now, this reckoning has come to the Tech industry as well.

See who in Tech has taken a stand on the Russian invasion of Ukraine

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Fragile Supply Chain Takes A Direct Hit From the Russian Invasion of Ukraine

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supply chain issues affecting ocean freight

An analysis of our still-fragile supply chain by various experts in the field concludes that the Russian invasion of Ukraine will impact the global supply chain in many damaging ways. We are likely to face more shipment delays and cost increases for both the immediate future, and for a period of time that will extend until well after the invasion concludes.

See what supply chain experts are seeing from the Ukraine invasion

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Biden Administration Announces Major Supply Chain Mining Initiative

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The Salton Sea is believed to hold essential minerals needed to boost the supply chain
The Salton Sea in California is believed to be a site rich in essential minerals [Photo: Gabriella Angotti-Jones for The New York Times]

Boosting Local Supply of Essential Minerals

The Biden Administration announced on Tuesday a comprehensive public/private mining initiative that is designed to boost the local supply of essential minerals. These minerals are required in a wide range of strategic products and the administration’s new programs will achieve several goals: they will use new technology to boost the mining of the minerals in new areas of the country, create a large number of good-paying American jobs, and reduce our reliance on China. What looks to be a savvy program, this new initiative partners with key American companies to improve the U.S.’s supply chain structure in order to make it more robust to “build a future that’s made in America.”

See more on the Administration’s plan to improve the supply chain

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